ACU explodes for 20 runs, 22 hits to take series from Sac State

ABILENE – Eight players tallied two or more hits, six players recorded two or more RBI, and the ACU baseball team exploded for season-highs in run and hits with a 20-5 win to claim the series over Sacramento State on Sunday. The Wildcats (18-6, 7-2 WAC) scored 10 times in the third inning and answered that with six more in the fifth to completely run away from the Hornets (12-11, 2-4 WAC). ACU keeps it trend of winning the series going; the 'Cats have not lost a series this season. The 20 runs and 22 hits are both season-bests, and the 7-2 start to WAC play is the best start to conference play since 2010.

How It Happened
- Garrett Williams started the bottom of the first off with a double down the right field line, and Miller Ladusau followed with an rbi-single down the left field line. ACU led 1-0 and showed what was to come in the game.
- Sacramento State took the lead off Wildcat starter Austin Glaze, scoring three times in the top of the second off a home run, a triple, and a groundout. It was 3-1 Sac State after an inning and a half.
- The Hornets pushed the lead to 4-1 with another rbi-groundout in the top of the third, but then ACU responded in the home third.
- It was a 10-run, 10-hit inning that featured 15 batters. Williams and Ladusau each singled in runs, and then the big moment came from Grayson Tatrow. The ACU right fielder launched a grand slam to right center field to go up 7-4. The inning was not even close to being over, however. Jake Skaggs singled in a run, Riley Bender doubled home one, and Williams singled in two more to push the lead to 11-4 after three innings.
- Bash Randle singled home another run in the bottom of the fourth, and it was 12-4 after four.
- Leading 12-5 in the home fifth, it was another wild inning. ACU scored six more runs on four hits, including a Tatrow rbi-single, a Tanner Tweedt two-run double, a Skaggs bases-loaded walk, a Crew Parke sacrifice fly, and a Bender fielder's choice. It was 18-5 after five innings.
- Tweedt and Skaggs each singled in runs in the home sixth to push it to 20-5, and that finished as the final.

Stat Pack
- Eight players tallied at least two hits led by Williams' four. Ladusau, Tatrow, and Tweedt all had three hits each, while Randle, Skaggs, Parke, and Bender each recorded two knocks.
- Tatrow led the way with five runs batted in, a new season-high, while Williams, Tweedt, and Skaggs all brought in three runs. Williams and Skaggs set new career-highs in those categories.
- Ladusau and Bender each drove in a pair of runs on Sunday.
- Tatrow and Williams scored three times each, while six Wildcats scored two runs each.
- Glaze went 4.0 innings in the start to earn the win (2-0) allowing four runs on four hits with a pair of strikeouts.
- Drake Boggan, Adam Byrd, and Sam Berberich all threw an inning each on Sunday, allowing one run combined.

Beyond the Box Score
- Tatrow's five RBI game is the second-highest total in a game in his career; he brought in six runs last season against Marist.
- Tatrow launched his second grand slam of the season and the fourth for the team this season.
- ACU outscored Sac State 12-2 in the third inning this weekend; the 'Cats came in with a -15 run differential in the third inning this season.
- The 'Cats outscored the Hornets 10-1 in the fifth inning in three games, and now hold a 38-5 edge in the fifth inning this season.
- The 20 runs are the most in a game this season and the most since scoring 23 last season against Marist.
- The 22 hits are the most this season and tie for the most in the Rick McCarty era, matching last season's game against Marist.

On Deck
- ACU will take a break from conference play this week with four games against three different opponents. The 'Cats will head to Waco on Tuesday to battle Baylor at 6:30 p.m., and then they will return to Crutcher Scott Field for an unconventional weekend. ACU will host former Southland foe Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Friday, March 31 at 6:05 p.m. before taking on Nebraska on Saturday, April 1 at 4:05 p.m. The weekend wraps up with Corpus again on Sunday, April 2 at 1:05 p.m. The Islanders and Huskers will play on Saturday for a single game before ACU takes on Nebraska to close that doubleheader.